adventure information
By providing transparent information and reliable care, I hope to do my part in spreading awareness to improve the wellbeing of all dogs. I am a dedicated professional and practice all aspects of canine care to the highest standard and am constantly expanding my knowledge after completing the CPD accredited Certificate III in Dog Psychology, Behavior & Training and the Sarah Whitehead Puppy and Dog Training Programme. Scroll down for more information about what happens before, during and after each adventure as well as helpful details about treats, toys, leashes, safety equipment and topical products used for adventures - like sunscreen for dogs!
All you need to provide is a well-fitting harness that your dog is comfortable wearing. It should be secure as dogs can back out of an ill-fitting harness if spooked. Although I provide all other equipment, it is difficult for me to provide harnesses as each type is made to suit specific needs, size and torso shape. It is also safer for most dogs to be walked using a harness (especially for dogs that pull, have spinal issues, breathing difficulty, are small in size, or are still in training) as they disperse pressure across the chest and shoulders, rather than concentrating it on delicate structures in the neck.
Before each adventure, I always make sure I have the correct equipment to suit each dog's individual needs and personal preferences. This includes a size-appropriate emergency muzzle (reduces the risk a dog will bite if they become injured), towels, leashes, chilled water, preferred treats, a variety of toys, and biodegradable poop bags so we're never caught short while exploring.
To ensure safe and effective sessions each dog will have an information card with some personal details that I will keep on me at all times during their adventure. This information includes preffered vet, medical issues, reactivity triggers, allergies, known obedience cues, favorite play styles and toy preferences.
Adventures include private transportation equipped for their every need to a variety of wilderness locations for your dog to explore. Your pup will travel in comfort as they'll be secured on a bungee tether so they can choose to sit, stand or lay down for their ride, with a toy to keep them occupied during transit, direct air-con, nonslip seat cover, non-toxic gel cooling mat, with window views and smells! (as dogs are very sensitive to drafts, windows will only be open slightly while driving to decrease the risk of conjunctivitis).
Each adventure is a minimum of 2 hours, this provides time to release excess energy and decompress. Longer bookings allow for your dog’s needs to be met more holistically, satisfying their daily mental and physical fulfilment with transportation to multiple wilderness locations according to your preferences. The longer the booking, the more locations your pup can explore and the more happily exhausted they’ll be when they return!
You will receive pup-dates about how your dog’s adventure is going. You can choose to have these sent to you via text or email, photos and videos can also be viewed through Dog Gone Wild social media along with the rest of the adventure pack!
Each adventure is unique (just like your dog!) all activities are fully customised to each dog’s specific needs and personal preferences. Private adventures keep your dog my sole priority and let me tailor exercise to be both physically and mentally enriching so they get the absolute most out of our time together.
Dog Gone Wild provides varied forms of exercise over multiple activities during every adventure, giving superior physical exercise while mentally fulfilling your dog. Modern dogs often suffer injuries from inappropriate exercise such as extended periods of ball retrieving, jumping up to catch frisbees, or too much swimming. This is not to say dogs shouldn’t have fun engaging in these activities, but I am always mindful of ‘overdoing’ any one activity. Throughout their adventure, your dog will engage in a range of activities with various types of exercise such as hiking, walking uphill, agility, swimming, engaging with different types of toys and play styles, combined with rich sensory stimulation exploring diverse sights, textures, and scents.
Wilderness hikes are chosen based on a dog’s energy and mobility levels. Agile, energetic dogs will have a great time exploring more advanced trails, while less athletic dogs have more fun frolicing along less intense terrains. Regular exercise is a powerful tool to prevent obesity and manage arthritis in dogs, it's not just about keeping them physically fit, but also about strengthening their muscles, ligaments, and joints. As a result, this reduces stress on a dog’s joints and cartilage, preventing inflammation and improving their overall health. It's a common misconception that older dogs should 'take it easy' when they just need the right kind of regular exercise.
I provide behaviour modification training throughout each dog’s adventure to reinforce known obedience cues, shape quality choices, good doggy manners and encourage the extinction of unwanted behaviours while in different environments. In the dog training community, this technique is called ‘generalisation’ and uses positive reinforcement to increase the likelihood of a dog performing learned skills in different situations.
Most dogs are food motivated, but some respond better to motivational play or verbal praise so, ensuring your dog receives what they view as the best reward is the most effective way to encourage good behaviour. I use reward and choice-based training to create positive associations with specific cues for everyday commands, encouraging a faster learning process for a desired response (this maintenance training also provides great mental stimulation!). I also promote good habits and polite dog manners while out and about, such as encouraging calm decisions when faced with potential triggers, impulse control, taking treats gently, improving recall, being courteous while on trails like giving space to passersby, giving eye contact and unprompted check-ins (looking back at you while walking ahead without being asked to). By reinforcing desired behaviours consistently, your dog will be more likely to respond to you even around distracting stimuli, increasing obedience while making your dog easier to manage at home and in public.
Peace of mind that your dog will be safe and securely tethered throughout their session. When adventuring, leashes stay attached to me through a specialty hiking belt and even if the belt buckle comes undone, your dog remains secured on a separate tether attachment. This leash attachment point also has a sliding D-ring, giving your dog greater freedom and a wider area to sniff and explore! All leashes are tested to have a 550kg breakload with heavy duty automatic twist lock carabiners. Each dog will be secured on leash and emergency collar before being released from their car transit tether. When adventuring, your dog will be secured with two separate tether points. The primary point on their harness and, in the event their harness fails, another attached to an emergency slip collar. The slip collar provides a backup layer of security in an emergency, it will not be used to control the dog's movement and has stoppers to keep it from becoming too tight if pressure is applied. No pressure is applied to your dog's neck as the collar remains slack during regular use and is only used as a failsafe if your dog escapes their harness.
Being safe doesn't stop when our adventure is over, I always take time after hiking to check your dog for ticks but there are sensitive spots that some dogs prefer to have checked by their owners. These disease-carrying bloodsuckers can be found anywhere on your pup’s body, but they particularly like dark/moist spots like behind and inside the ears, between toes, under the tail and around genitals, around eyelids, and under their collar/harness.
After your dog has finished running amok, I also perform a spot clean using gentle hypoallergenic pet wipes around their face and use damp microfiber towels to remove dirt and sand from their paws and body that they picked up while out exploring.
Once your dog is cleaned to the best of my ability, they are secured to their bungee tether while being transported back to you. Although they’ll be provided with a chew toy to occupy them during transit, most dogs take this opportunity to have a nap as the bungee tether allows them to fully lay down across the backseat.
Your dog can either be dropped off at a safe location in a secure area (with access to fresh water and shelter) specified in the client questionnaire beforehand, or they can be driven to a location where you or another trusted person can collect them.
All equipment (leashes, toys, water bowls, car seat cover, cooling mat, treat pouch, towels, ect) that comes into contact with your dog will be replaced or thoroughly sanitised before another dog uses it. Disinfecting equipment stops the spread of harmful parasites and pathogens, ensuring your dog, family and community aren't at risk of infection. (more info in FAQs)
Many ‘treats’ are full of filler ingredients that provide little nutritional content and are high in fat, salt, sugar, and unhealthy oils. All treats supplied by Dog Gone Wild are professionally air-dried, easily digestible, high protein, have minimal ingredients and are free from preservatives, sugar, grains and fillers.
Beef liver: ingredients: 100% Australian beef liver.
Kangaroo liver: ingredients: 100% Australian kangaroo liver.
These nutrient dence crunchy options are rich in the entire B-vitiman complex, as well as vitamin A, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium and selenium. It is especially important that liver treats are air-dried and not cooked at high temperatures as they can loose upto 40% of their naturally occuring vitimans and minerals.
Chicken blueberry & cranberry: ingredients: chicken, blueberries, cranberries, potato flour (hypoallergenic binding agent).
Easily chewable treats with Australian chicken and dried fruit, full of protein, antioxidants and fiber. Chicken is high in protein with sulfur-containing amino acids, vitamin A, B, C & D, phosphorus and selenium. Berries contain nourishing antioxidants, vitimans E, C & K, polyphenols, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and help promote urinary tract health.
Kangaroo spinach & kale: ingredients: kangaroo, chicken, spinach, kale, potato flour (hypoallergenic binding agent).
Easily chewable treats with healthy greens, premium Australian kangaroo meat, additional Australian chicken, full of lean protein, omega-3s and fiber. Kangaroo meat is low in cholesterol, high in protein and rich in omega-3s, amino acids, iron and zinc. The greens provide vitamins A, B, C & K, potassium, magnesium, calcium, beta-carotene and antioxidants.
I do not recommend these treats if your dog has a history of kidney or bladder stones, as very small quantities of calcium oxalate are present in kale and can increase the risk of recurrence.
- Provided treats are not recommended for dogs with dental issues, lack of teeth or those who have trouble chewing as they have a crunchy texture!
- Kangaroo treats are a great option if your dog has developed allergic reactions to more common meats like beef, pork and fish as it’s a novel protein (protein a dog rearly/hasn’t had). Dogs are less likely to be intolerant of an ingredient they've never eaten, as most allergies come from dogs eating the same food day after day.
- If your dog has a special diet or you are concerned about allergies, you can bring your own treats or a portion of their food to be given as treats during their adventure.
A wide selection of toys with varying sizes, shapes, textures, squeekers, and colours are provided for each adventure, catering to your dog's preferred play styles!
As well as types of toy, Dog Gone Wild also has a selection of toys with varying toughness, with ultra-durable heavy duty natural rubber toys for dogs who like to chew and destroy, as well as toys made for delicate mouths with more flexible materials for those with soft gums, dental issues, older dogs, and puppies.
Balls start at 5cm for small pups, with options ranging up to 8cm for bigger dogs. There are also large, heavy duty 20cm+ balls designed to retain their shape even if punctured, used for dogs who like to play rough or herd. These toys include Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll, Bounce-n-Play, and Tug-n-Toss.
Balls with irregular shapes have an irractic bounce tragectory and provide visually and mentally stimulating play as dogs can't predict where the toy is going. These balls include Kurgo Skipping Stone, Soda Pup Magnum Gears and Kong Classic Xlarge 12cm.
Dogs who like tug games can play with a variety of toys thanks to removeable bungee handles (attached to large yellow ball and red Kong Classic in picture above). Bungee attachments allow different types toys to be turned into tugs, they also reduce jarring of a dog's neck and unnecessary strain to their teeth while playing tug.
For dogs who preffer them, there are also rope toys including braided rope, knotted rope and a large ball with a rope through it's middle (Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll) that can float, be kicked, thrown and tugged.
Dogs who play frisbee can often injure their mouths or chip their teeth by catching hard plastic discs, so all provided frisbees are made of soft materials that float and can be caught safely. Frisbees range from lightwieght foam discs for smaller dogs to the durable rubber Soda Pup Magnum Flyer for tough chewers.
There are also specialty toys if your dog has breathing issues or is brachycephalic (any breed with a short, squished muzzle including shih tzus, pugs, bulldogs, frenchies, ect) so they can hold a ball in their mouth without it obstructing their airway. This allows them to inhale and exhale easily, so your dog can have more fun and play for longer. These toys include Chuckit! Breathe Right balls and Soda Pup Magnum Gears for tough chewers.
All toys are made of FDA compliant, non-toxic materials that are safe for pets. They are thoroughly disinfected after each session according to a strict sanitation procedure using F10SC Veterinary Disinfectant. This process stops the spread of harmful bacteria, fungi, moulds, spores and viruses including Parvovirus, Guardia and kennel cough (more info in drop down below).
If your dog has a favorite toy, they are welcome to bring it along for their adventures!
All leashes are breakload tested at 550kg, have automatic twist-lock carabiners and are made of biothane - a durable, waterproof and lightweight material (explained more in drop down below).
When adventuring, leashes are secured on a hip belt specifically designed for ‘canicross’ a competitive sport where a human and dog run cross country as a team. Equipped with a secure tether system keeping your dog's leash attached to me even if the belt buckle comes undone. This leash attachment point also has a sliding D-ring, giving your dog greater freedom and a wider area to sniff and explore!
To prevent injury caused by lunging or sudden pulls on the leash, I use a shock absorbing reinforced nylon bungee cord attachment designed for sled dogs. This durable cord has been stress tested in all weather conditions, it’s reflective and also has a heavy duty automatic twist-lock carabiner for added reliability.
I use collapsible bowls to help with proper hydration, avoiding potential dehydration and heat-stroke. Happy grins and drippy chins are guaranteed through regular water breaks every 15 minutes when hiking with constant access to chilled water when playing at a location.
An easy access treat pouch is used for dishing out the good stuff! Made of food grade silicone for easy sanitation to avoid allergy flares for pups with food sensitivities.
I keep a bush bell to be courteous and alert other hikers, dogs and nearby wildlife to our presence. This bell is intended to be attached to a collar, but I have it attached to me as some dogs find it annoying so close to their sensitive ears.
100% biodegradable poop bags made of cornstarch are a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based plastic bags. They are fully degradable in as little as 90 days, reducing long-term environmental pollution compared to traditional plastics.
Botanical insect repellent that repels flies, sandflies, midges and mosquitoes for up to 4 hours without leaving greasy residue. Importantly, this repellent doesn’t include DEET which is effective but poisonous to dogs. Instead, using rosemary and cedarwood oil as active ingredients, most insects are immediately deterred by these scents.
A portable canine first aid kit is brought during adventures stocked with essentials, along with a more comprehensive kit kept in the vehicle in case of emergencies (explained more in 'emergency equipment' drop down below).
All leashes and backup safety collars are made of biothane for strong, lightweight and hygienic walks. Biothane is a waterproof material resistant to dirt, grime, and harmful pathogens meaning they don’t absorb like they do with fabric or rope. It also means they don’t get weighed down by retaining water if your dog decides to go for a swim!
This high quality adventure gear is built to last with leashes breakload tested at 550kg, they can be easily disinfected after each use, and are gentle on all coat types (even short fur) with added texture for extra grip and control. Whether hiking a muddy trail, diving into waves or exploring bushland, biothane can handle dogs of all sizes with confidence, no matter how wild the adventure!
Powerful non-toxic, non-irritating, non-corrosive, aldehyde and chlorine free, F10 is a pet safe alternative to harsh disinfectants like bleach. Scientifically proven to kill a broad spectrum of bacteria, viruses (including parvovirus and coronavirus), protozoal oocysts (cryptosporidium, coccidia and giardia), fungi, and spores, including those that pose a threat to both animals and humans.
All equipment is thouroghly disinfected after each adventure at a dilution of 1:125 water for 30 minutes to ensure all pathogens and parasites are destroyed.
Did you know sunscreen inteded for human use is highly toxic if injested by dogs? That's why it's vital to use a pet-safe alternative if your dog is going out in the harsh Australian sun.
NRG Doggie Pink Noze Cream is a sunblock and skin barrier for dogs with unpigmented, pink features (around eyes, nose and tips of ears) or damaged skin prone to sunburn. Natural and scent-free, keeping noses from drying out, helping heal minor irritations or scabs, and protecting sensitive skin in hot conditions.
This sunblock is made to stay on for a few days after application, but can be wiped off after each adventure.
Used for dogs who like swimming and are prone to hot spots or skin irritation caused by allergies, insect bites, dirty, matted and wet coats.
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Hot Spot & Itch Relief Medicated spray is an anti-itch spray that helps soothe dog’s itching, biting, licking and scratching associated with skin irritations. Free from parabens, dye and alcohol with lidocaine for fast acting itch relief, hydrocortisone to reduce redness and swelling, allantoin and wheat germ oil to soften and moisturise dry flaky skin.
A portable canine first aid kit is brought during all adventures, along with a more comprehensive kit kept in the vehicle in case of emergencies. This kit includes: antiseptic, gauze pads, PBT elastic bandage, triangle bandage, band-aids, micropaw paper tape, vet wrap, paw paw ointment, tongue depressors, cornstarch (stops bloodflow from bleeding toenails), muzzles, disposable gloves (latex free), medical mask, digital thermometer, round tip scissors, blunt end tweezers, saftey pins and tick remover tools.
Even though I always maintain a safe distance from other dogs, in case of emergencies I carry a reinforced nylon break stick to deescalate dog fights. This is a vital tool that allows handlers to release bite holds without injuring teeth or tearing tissue.
For safety purposes, each dog has a waterproof information card with some personal details that I keep on me at all times during their adventure. This card has important information that can make all the difference in emergency situations including a dog's known medical issues, current medication dosage, reactivity triggers, allergies, and preffered veterinarian contacts.
